Nadal and Djokovic comfortably confirm spots in French Open second round
The two best players in the world hardly broke sweat as they enjoyed straight-set victories in their opening matches at the Roland Garros
RAFAEL NADAL and Novak Djokovic proved they mean business by cruising into the French Open second round with comfortable straight-sets victories.
On the Philippe-Chatrier Court at Roland Garros, the Spaniard began his mission for a record 12th French Open title with a 6-2 6-1 6-3 win over German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in just under two hours.
Nadal will eclipse the achievement of 11 Australian Open titles won by Margaret Court if he succeeds in Paris a week on Sunday.
The 32-year-old will fancy his chances of reaching at least the last eight without dropping a set on his favourite surface given he has a relatively easy quarter of the draw.
Nadal now plays Yannick Maden, another German qualifier, in the second round of his 100th clay-court tournament.
He said: “Well, it was a first round, and I did a lot of things well. Not many mistakes. Being very solid all the time.
“This just of course is the beginning and the first round is more about talking about what I have to do better.
“What I did very well is just about general feeling, and general feeling have been positive this afternoon.
“Happy to be through to the second round, and that’s the main thing and with straight sets, positive feelings. Just happy for that.
“Every year is a new challenge. It’s more than new challenge or not, every year is a new challenge.
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“And today I was able to win the first challenge, and after tomorrow I going to have the second challenge. That’s the only way.”
Djokovic, the world No1, showed no signs of rustiness as he walloped Pole Hubert Hurkacz 6-4 6-2 6-2 straight after Nadal’s match in one hour and 36 minutes.
The Serb has won the past three major titles – Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open – but he knows it’s increasingly likely he will have to beat Nadal in the French Open final if he is to hold all four slams at the same time.
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